The Key Theoretical Constructs and Interests - Coursework Example

Concise Summary of Key Theoretical Constructs and Interests Concise Summary of Key Theoretical Constructs and Interests Introduction Psychodynamic counselling is an insight oriented therapy that primarily focuses on helping clients understand the root cause of their behavioural issues or problems by exploring their unconscious mind and past experiences. Rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud, the approach particularly assumes that some unconscious motives powerfully affect behaviour and feelings, and mainly root from childhood experiences (Sulloway, 2011). Generally, the psychodynamic model is primarily based on the assumption that everyone has subconscious feeling (unconscious mind) that may be too painful to be faced. As a result, individuals often develop defensive behaviours such as denial to protect themselves from these painful feelings. There are a number of theoretical constructs of psychodynamic counselling approach some of which include transference, counter transference, dream analysis, working alliance, interpretation as well as free association. In most cases, therapists using psychodynamic approach usually apply two types of approaches when dealing with their patients, which include the congruent and the counter-transference strategies. The earlier strategy involves genuineness, and the therapists show their true human traits. In counter-transference, the therapist applies theoretical approaches meaning they are not real with the patients. This paper critically analyzes a verbatim/transcript from a psychodynamic counselling session (See Appendix A) and highlights each of the areas where the aspects of transference, counter transference, dream analysis, working alliance, interpretation and free association have been played by therapist.  Analysis of the Transcript/ Verbatim 1.Simone: I’m with some people on a beach and they are playing with a puppy, and they’ve got the puppy partially submerged under the water…maybe to soothe it, but it’s not happy, and so I decided to take over … I see a male dog who I think is its father ….but its interestingly because this male dog as udders. So I take the puppy and out it on its father’s udders then the puppy seems happy 2. Jeremy: what do you make of this dream? In the above statement(line 2),the therapist attempts to make use of the dream analysis by allowing the client to express what they think of the dream in order to use the client’s interpretation of the dream through verbal description to allow the client to understand her own relationship to the images depicted in the dream. In addition, the element of dream analysis may have also been used by the therapist to prove the client with the opportunity to analyse different aspect of the dream. This would particularly allow the client to develop an understanding of the psychological role she plays in the dream based on the images that she bring to mind. On the other hand, it can also be argued that the therapist also applied some form of free association in the above statement. For example, by asking for the opinion of the client regarding her dream, Jeremy(therapist) is in actually allowing her to talk about whatever comes to her mind thereby enhancing the expression of her unconscious mind in order to release emotions and experiences (make the as unconscious conscious). Generally, psychodynamic therapist employs free-association with the aim of getting to know the clients as they understand themselves, through use of silence and neutrality. 3. Simone: Well maybe the dog is actually my father, and maybe it has to do with me moving into his place. Here the client makes an attempt to analyse her dream 4. Jeremy: That makes sense … and I’m also thinking this is really just playing around with the images …. So you don’t take what I’m saying to seriously maybe the male dog is me. An aspect of working alliance can be seen in line 4 above as it seems that the therapist is communicating to the client that she is allowed to play around with the images in your dream while you try and make sense of them without any restriction. On the other hand, dream analysis is also evident in the statement as the therapist attempts to make an association between the male dog in the dream and himself as a way trying to interpret the dreams of the client.. Additionally, the therapist also tries to a paraphrase the statement made by the client in line 4 and seems to be saying I acknowledged how you feel. For example, by repeating and paraphrasing the statement “Maybe the male dog is me”, the therapist is trying to ensure the patient that they can capture and understand all information presented to them by the patient. From her response, the client seems to be absorbing the information, which is a form of transference. It appears that he feels like the client signifies him as someone that can help or that he feels that’s what she expects of him. “Maybe this male dog is me” I might be wrong I might be right but either way I do not claim to know everything or to be right about everything. This statement reveals that the therapist and the client have achieved congruence 5. Simone: I hadn’t thought of that. 6. Jeremy: how does it feel? Here the therapist sees to be seeking to use the technique of free association with the client by encouraging her to speak freely of how she feels without editing or censoring the flow of ideas and memories. In psychodynamic counselling approach, the concept of free association is critically important in helping the clients to return to their earlier emotional state in order to allow the therapist to better understand any potential recurrent patterns of conflict that the client may be experiencing. 7. Simone: I don’t know …id have to think about it. She then goes on to tell me about another dream fragment. 8. Simone: And then in the dream I see my old adviser from college, Emma… she’s a woman, but then I look at her shadow and it’s the shadow of a man. 9. Jeremy: What do you make of it? The above statement (line 9) is another manifestation of the application of free association. According to experts, person-centered approach assumes that every person internally holds the solutions to his or her problems. The main aim of this therapy is to construct conditions that allow an individual’s growth using empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence. 10. Simone: I don’t know. 11. Jeremy: I know from what you have told me previously that the last time you visited Emma you felt uncomfortable with her because she felt needy to you. In line 11 above, the therapist seems to be making use of the technique of interpretation as an element of psychodynamic counselling approach by attempting to interpret the feelings of the client by reading between the lines. For example, although Jeremy has allowed the client (Simone) to freely talk of her past experiences and feelings, he interjects with possible interpretations (as seen in line 11 above) of her feelings in order to better understand the unconscious mind of the client. Generally, in psychodynamic counselling, the element of interpretation usually goes along with the subject of dream analysis. 12.Simone: well it’s the way she is always trying to look after me and offer me guidance, it felt like there was a kind of underlying desperation…. Or neediness …. Like maybe she needs to relate to me as a daughter or something. 13.Simone continued to talk about dream at the following session 14. Simone: I was thinking about that dream I had about the male dog with the udders ….and it makes me feel uncomfortable. 15. Jeremy: Aare you willing to explore what feels uncomfortable about it? In line 15 above, the psychodynamic principle of working alliance is revealed as Jeremy (the therapist) seems to be trying to join the reasonable side of the client with his analyzing side by enquiring about their willingness to explore what they feel unconformable about. On the other hand, there is also an element of free association as the therapist seems to be encouraging Simone to speak freely of what she feels uncomfortable about without any hindrance in order to allow him better understand the potential causes of her behavioural problems including her unconscious fears and feelings from childhood. Generally, the therapist seems to apply the person-centered approach especially by creating a good working atmosphere for the patient to explore and reveal her own feelings. 16. Simone: Well there is something yucky about it. I don’t really like to think of myself as getting nurtured by you. There is something scary about it. Dfense 17. Jeremy: Scary in what way? 18.Simone: Well it would mean that I’m dependent on you and that brings up a whole bunch of feeling. 19.Simone: You are not really a father figure for me… it’s like you’re not really male. It’s like you just exist in my head. 20. Jeremy: Can you say more about me being male? 21. Simone: Well you don’t give me advice or tell me what to do. The above case illustrates that the therapist has not fully achieved transference with the client. Generally, transference normally occurs when the client unconsciously redirects his/her feelings to the therapist by taking the expectations and perceptions of one individual and projecting them onto another individual. For example, when the client says “Well you don’t give me advice or tell me what to do”, they simply mean that she is willing to transfer her perceptions and expectations of a fatherly figure to any male to advices her or tells her what to do. 22. Jeremy: Would you want me to give you advice? The above statement (line 22) also illustrates the therapist is trying to achieve Working alliance by seeking to know if the client would want to give him some advice. According to Feud (1913) this may be intended to help the client develop a positive attachment to the therapist and maintain a serious interest in the therapeutic process by showing them that their opinion and consent are valued. 23.Simone: No 24.Jeremy: why not? 25.Simone: Because then I would become dependent on you. You’re are not like my father that way. Things are complicated with him. Conclusion In conclusion, the present analysis of the transcript/ verbatim from a psychodynamic counselling session has revealed that therapists usually draw from a diverse number of techniques to help unravel the unconscious mind of their clients and identify the root cause of their behaviour. However, throughout the transcript, the therapist (Jeremy) does not present any counter-transference to the therapist because he hides his emotions throughout the session. Generally, each of the techniques has their advantages and disadvantages, and therefore it depends on the therapist and the type of patient. In this regard, choosing an approach may depend on the type of patient considering that sometimes the therapist may have to be a bit strict in order to gather information from the patient. References Cooper, M. (2008). Essential research findings in counselling and psychotherapy: The facts are friendly. London: Sage. Dryden, W. (2007). Drydens handbook of individual psychotherapy  (5th ed.). London: Sage publishers. Freud, S. (1913). On the beginning of treatment: Further recommendations on the technique of psychoanalysis. London: Hogarth Press Mearns, D., Thorne, B. (2007) Person-centred Counselling in Action (3rd edn), London, Sage. Nevid, J. S. (2013). Psychology: Concepts and applications. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Sulloway, F. J. (2011). Reassessing Freuds case histories: The social construction of psychoanalysis. Isis 82, 2), 245-275. APPENDIX A: Transcript/ Verbatum from a Psychodynamic Counseling Session 1.Simone: I’m with some people on a beach and they are playing with a puppy, and they’ve got the puppy partially submerged under the water…maybe to soothe it, but it’s not happy, and so I decided to take over … I see a male dog who I think is its father ….but its interestingly because this male dog as udders. So I take the puppy and out it on its father’s udders then the puppyseems happy 2. Jeremy: what do you make of this dream? 3.Simone: Well maybe the dog is actually my father, and maybe it has to do with me moving into his place. 4.Jeremy: That makes sense … and I’m also thinking this is really just playing around with the images …. So you don’t take what I’m saying to seriously maybe the male dog is me. 5. Simone: I hadn’t thought of that. 6. Jeremy: how does it feel? 7.Simone: I don’t know …id have to think about it. She then goes on to tell me about another dream fragment. 8. Simone: And then in the dream I see my old adviser from college, Emma… she’s a woman, but then I look at her shadow and it’s the shadow of a man. 9. Jeremy: What do you make of it? 10. Simone: I don’t know. 11. Jeremy: I know from what you have told me previously that the last time you visited Emma you felt uncomfortable with her because she felt needy to you. 12. Simone: well it’s the way she is always trying to look after me and offer me guidance, it felt like there was a kind of underlying desperation…. Or neediness …. Like maybe she needs to relate to me as a daughter or something. 13. Simone continued to talk about dream at the following session 14. Simone: I was thinking about that dream I had about the male dog with the udders ….and it makes me feel uncomfortable. 15. Jeremy: Aare you willing to explore what feels uncomfortable about it? Working alliance ( when your ready if your willing and so on) 16. Simone: Well there is something yucky about it. I don’t really like to think of myself as getting nurtured by you. There is something scary about it. Dfense 17.Jeremy: Scary in what way? 18.Simone: Well it would mean that I’m dependent on you and that brings up a whole bunch of feeling. 19.Simone: You are not really a father figure for me… it’s like you’re not really male. It’s like you just exist in my head. 20.Jeremy: Can you say more about me being male? 21.Simone: Well you don’t give me advice or tell me what to do. 22.Jeremy: Would you want me to give you advice? 23.Simone: No 24.Jeremy: why not? 25.Simone: Because then I would become dependent on you. You’re are not like my father that way. Things are complicated with him. Read More